1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of processing a print order in a system for printing digital documents, including a programming step for the print order, wherein image supports to be used for the print order and at least one setting for a printing process for the print order applicable to at least one image of the print order, are specified by using a first operating function; and a processing step in which the system automatically arranges the printing process as specified in the programming step and then accordingly prints digital images on the image supports. The invention also relates to a system for printing digital documents wherein the above method is applied, and a computer program which performs the steps of the invention when loaded into a computer.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
A general method and apparatus for processing a print order is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,731, which describes a general digital copying machine/printer. For a print order, a type of image supports (e.g., paper sheets, transparencies) has to be selected from a set of image support types shown on the operator control unit display. Covers can also be added to the printed document. For the covers it must be indicated whether they are to be left blank or are to be printed on the front, back or both sides. This choice thus leads to a property which is coupled to the function called “covers” and which influences the printing procedure since digital images must be so displaced as to arrive on the correct image supports. Also, again a type of image supports has to be selected for the covers.
The disadvantage of this known method is that it is coupled to the function of the associated image supports and hence cannot take into account the specific properties of the material used in the image supports. For instance, assume that a document for printing is provided with a cover that must be printed on both sides. If the operator now selects a transparent image support type for the covers, the front and rear texts will both be visible. However, since the transparent image support type has been selected, the front and rear texts will be hardly legible. For another example, a deluxe paper with a special impression, which may be printed only on the front, may be used as the image support. Duplex printing on such a deluxe paper would then destroy the intended appearance of the printed matter and is therefore undesirable.